The Relocation Insurance Boss?

With so much interest in reality TV these days, I have been expecting my phone to start ringing with offers for me to star in a show based on the operations of a relocation insurance agency. As much as I get excited about this business, the producers probably don’t agree that paperwork and customer service make for an exciting program.

As the weather gets warmer and we turn another calendar page, I am looking forward to another busy summer season.  Unlike some seasonal businesses,our industry does not have the option to close during the slower months.  As a small business owner, I must manage our cash flow to sustain the company during the slower months.  It is a science to manage a business with large peaks and valleys; employees have to learn to be creative, as well as resourceful.

I just read an article from Entrepreneur’s online site about the different tactics other seasonal business owners use to not only sustain themselves during the slow times, but to prepare for when business is in full swing.

It was interesting to read how small businesses in different industries are able to manage their cash flows and get creative in order to bring in revenue during the off-peak seasons.  A pool club is selling memberships in October for the next season to increase revenue and help plan their staffing needs.  Other businesses have found complementary services or merchandise to offset seasonal losses.

 This month and next are critical for decision-making staffing and operations.  We use the slower months of February and March to determine how many people will be needed, to make sure we provide a superior level of customer service to our affiliates and customers.  In which areas do we need to place extra employees?  What channels can we use to find new talent? 

In terms of operations, we must make sure we have the correct policies, procedures, and plans in place.   Last year, we worked as a team to develop our company vision and strategy.  It is imperative that our plans stay on track with where we want to be as company. 

It is time for me to get back to preparations, as it is already the end of March and the summer sun will be shining down before we know it.

What preparations do you make to get ready for the busy season?  How far in advance do you start preparing?  What trends have you seen this year?  Tell us about it.

Find Self-Storage Auctions

Tennessee Self Storage Association Partners with findselfstorageauctions.com as the Official Listing Source for Self Storage Auctions in the State of Tennessee

The Tennessee Self Storage Association (TNSSA / www.tnssa.net) is proud to be the first state to partner with Find Self Storage Auctions; bringing Tennessee one step closer to aggregating their state’s auction listings into a single, official database. Find Self Storage Auctions (http://www.findselfstorageauctions.com) is a Self Storage Auction Listing Directory showcasing up-coming Self Storage Auctions in All 50 States; Visitors can find Storage Lien Auctions in any city across the country.

Find Self Storage Auctions is a next-generation, dynamic, online Self Storage Auction listing directory developed by Self Storage industry insiders. Used as a tool by self-storage associations, it becomes a tangible benefit to their membership and a service to the public. By creating the official source of storage auctions in the state, free to the public to search, it helps to guarantee the accuracy and integrity of the listed information. By using this listing directory as the primary source, the amount of time it takes the public to find a storage auction is significantly reduced, as well as the need to search multiple websites or advertising mediums to find listings.

Dee Sharp (William Knight Insurance Agency), the Tennessee Self Storage Association 2010 and 2011 Board President, commented:

“Our Board immediately saw the value of this partnership and the benefits it would bring to our members. Find Self Storage Auctions provides our owners an additional, and very affordable, venue to advertise their lien sales. This partnership will allow the association to be the ‘official’ source of auction listings in Tennessee. It is important that the public know where to get trusted information.”

The process of taking a self-storage unit to auction requires a tremendous amount of time and financial resources, and almost never results in the recovery of the facility’s investment in either. The auction process is cumbersome enough without advertising limitations. In an information-driven world, the key to the Self Storage Auction process is in helping the public find accurate listings.

Lien law modernization is sweeping through state associations, subsidized in part by the national Self Storage Association via a legislative matching funds initiative. With lien law changes comes an opportunity to modernize the entire listing process, and expand upon the boundless value the internet provides. By using Find Self Storage Auction's search engine friendly dynamic database, facilities can maximize online exposure, and update auction listings as they see fit. Furthermore, there isn’t a time limit imposed on a listing. Operators are free to list as far in advance as they see fit; the longer the better from an internet search perspective.

Due in part to the popularity of the recent storage auction reality shows, it is critical that accurate information be available to the searching public. Find Self Storage Auctions assists members in reaching auction attendees by making State, City, Facility, # of Units, Contents of Units, and even Auctioneer, searchable.

Tennessee's Association President, Dee Sharp, further commented,

“While any Tennessee self-storage facility may list an auction on the site, association members will receive a substantial discount in the listing price. The Board of Directors views its partnership with Find Self Storage Auctions as an additional member benefit. We anticipate the TNSSA conversion to be complete no later than March 4th, 2011.”

FindSelfStorageAuctions.com was created in 2009 by Richard Marmor, member of the board of directors of the Arizona Self Storage Association and noted self-storage lien law author, and James Appleton, Technology & Communications Chair of the Arizona Association, and technical expert in website design/development and search engine optimization (SEO).

Spare Foot

Sparefoot.com a start-up website connecting tenants with storage facilities reached an additional $1.5 million in series B funding this week.  The company was founded in 2008 by Chuck Gordon and is based in Austin, Texas.

The site allows potential tenants to comparison shop by price, unit size, and other amenities for more than 5000 storage facilities nationwide.  The service is free for consumers to search and make reservations.  Facilities gain new tenants through a pay for performance revenue model, based on a referral fee for every customers sent to their business. 

The parent company Classified Ventures, Inc. also operates the websites apartments.com and selfstorage.com.   Since the addition of Sparefoot.com, the company is now the largest advertising network for self-storage in the United States.

Elephant Art

How much would you bid for a one of a kind electric guitar hand painted by an African elephant?  Wendy Dio, the widow of Black Sabbath guitarist and front man of Dio Ronnie James Dio hopes you will open your heart and your pocketbook.  She is working in collaboration with the foundation set-up in her husband’s honor Stand Up and Shout Cancer fund and the Asian Elephant conservation project to raise funding and awareness.

 
Three trunk painted guitars and 100 other celebrity signed instruments will be sold in an auction this fall.  See more of the elephant artwork on The Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project website

Painted Rocks

Gracie Zenz an artful 10 year old was inspired to create her own version of street art after watching the quasi Banksy documentary “Exit Through The Gift Shop”. 

She wanted to create something that was artsy, stealthy and public but not damage public or private property.   

The idea of painting rocks bright colors, with funny faces was born. 

The artist enlisted the help of her dad, a children’s book author and her siblings to paint and decorate the stones.  A total of 48 stones were placed in fun places around town. 

See more pictures of where the stones ended up on the family’s blog Chicken Nugget Lemon Tooty.